I can't breathe
by 143sasusaku
Summary: "But Sasuke-kun,...I love you..."  "Do you know that those three little words that you're saying is like taking your breathe away from you"


**A/N: I got this idea from an excerpt of a book... :)**

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><p><strong>I CAN'T BREATHE<strong>

A 22-year old kunoichi was walking in the streets of a village called Konoha. The moon was brightly shining and the breeze is as pure and as cold as the ice. The woman sat down on a bench where her first love left her. She was hoping that someday, he will come back and return.

_**Flashback**_

_She was walking the same streets of the same village. She saw a raven-haired boy walking with a backpack on his shoulder. He passed her like she was not there. A tear fell from her eye._

_"Why?" she asked out loud but the boy didn't say anything._

_She offered everything for him just so he won't leave. Heck, she even cried for him. But in the end, he went behind her back and just whispered..._

_"Thank you..." And before she knew it, he hit her and she fell asleep. When she woke up, he was gone._

_**End of Flashback**_

Sakura sighed as the memories flooded. As she sat there, slightly shivering from the cold, reminiscing, she heard something behind her which made her get her guard up. She glanced to her side only to see a deserted road.

_'It must be the trees'_

She stared at the moon and wondered what would it be like if Sasuke never left.

"Sakura" a cool male voice called

But the girl didn't seem to hear a thing as she was preoccupied thinking the many possiblities that would have happen if everything was back to normal.

"Sakura" the male voice called once again

This time she heard the voice.

_'Who could it be? Could it be Sasuke? Is my wish finally coming true'_

Sakura closed her emerald eyes, faced in front, hoping that if she open her eyes, it would be onyx eyes staring back at her but her hopes immediately fell down as she stare with the pearl-colored eyes of the Hyuuga boy.

Neji stared at her.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, uh...I'm...I'm just strolling around to get some fresh air."

"Is that so? Well, I have to go. Tenten and Hinata are waiting for me."

"Okay, sure."

As the Hyuuga walked away, Sakura stopped herself from sobbing. Expecting and hoping sure hurts a lot. She stood up and started to leave the bench when an arm on her shoulder stopped her. She gave a little shriek since she didn't hear the man or woman or whatever it is creep behind her. Relaxing, she figured that it was only Neji coming back for something and besides if it was an enemy, it should have stab her right then and there.

"Neji, don't sca-" She turned around only to meet with onyx eyes she long to see.

"Sasuke...?" she managed to say

"Sakura"

His voice, his hair, his smell, his eyes, everything about him is still the same except he was a taller and his voice a little lower.

She couldn't believe her eyes and she went to touch his cheek but was stopped by a firm grip on her wrist. She gasped.

"Sakura..."

"Sasuke...-kun...You're back" she whispered

"Hn"

"I'm so glad you came back. I can't believe..." the kunoichi couldn't control her feelings anymore as she hug him and started to cry. The boy just stood with his arms on his side, not returning the embrace. He then pushed the girl away from him.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"I returned not to be cried to, not to be embraced to and definitely not for you if that's what you think."

Her eyes widen, his words struck her like shards of glass.

"Sasuke...I'm..."

"Don't say anything. The day after tomorrow, Orochimaru and his ninjas will attack Konoha and everything in this village will be wipe out, including you. This serves as a warning."

"I..." Before she could say anything, he turned around to go.

"Sasuke...wait!" She shouted. He stopped.

"Sasuke, why are you doing this? Why can't you come back? Come back and return to us? Be one of Team 7 again? Sasuke, tell me why!"

"I should not waste my time with girls like you."

"But Sasuke, if you don't care, why would you bother going back to tell me of Orochimaru's plan? Why? Isn't that suppose to be a secret between you and him? Do you exactly know how to attack a village? Giving a warning doesn't help the attack to be successful because it only helps the village to have time to prepare before the attack!" Sasuke's eye twitched. She got a point.

"Sakura, let go of your hopes of me coming back because it will not happen. You're just a waste of time."

"Sasuke, I love you! I still do! No matter how much I want to hate you, I just can't hate you! I hate myself and I hate the way I don't hate you Sasuke! Just please come back!" She was crying, her tears continuosly flowing.

"Come back even if it's not for me. Come back for Konoha, for your friends who care, for Kakashi-sensei, for Naruto, for Team 7."

Sasuke turned his head slightly to look at his former teammate's face. He was slightly stunned to see her crying once again for him. For a second, his face showed of hurt but was immediately replace by a look of annoyance.

"You're still as annoying as ever"

"But Sasuke-kun...I love you" She whispered but enough for him to hear her

"Such words coming from you Sakura. Do you know that those three little words that you're saying is like taking your breathe away from you" At this, he jumped and left her on her knees, crying.

_'He's right, saying those words is like a breathe that is taken away from me. I am willing to die for the one I love.'_

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><p>The next day...<p>

"Tsunade-sama, Sakura-san wants to talk to you"

"Let her in" The kunoichi girl walked in the Hokage's office.

"Tsunade-sama, there's was a warning I just received last night." The pink-haired girl reported.

Tsunade stared at her student.

"You have been crying." She pointed out

"You have to-What?"

"You have been crying." The Hokage repeated

"I know sensei but that's not important. What's important is that Orochimaru is planning to attack Konoha tomorrow. We must prepare and let all the shinobis be on their guard."

"Where did you get that idea?" Tsunade asked, alarmed now that her former teammate is involve in the topic.

Sakura hesitated before answering.

"Sasuke-kun..."

"Sasuke? When did he come? Where is he?" Tsunade was now standing, summoning Shizune.

"He's gone. He immediately left after talking to me about the attack."

"It is kind of suspicious that he'd warned you. Is there something else that happened?"

"No Ma'am"

"You may leave. Get your tools ready."

"Hai."

"Shizune! Prepare all the shinobis for battle. Hide the children and the villagers. Get me a sake too! We have defending to do!"

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><p>By the time Sakura left the Hokage tower, everyone was preparing for battle. She was so tired and in no state of fighting but she must get ready. She went to her house and lay on her bed. She needed rest first to restore her energy. She started to sob as she lull herself to sleep. '<em>Tomorrow it ends'<em>, the only thought she had before she fell to sleep.

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><p>Sakura woke up by a scream she heard from outside. She went outside and was bewildered by the sight in front of her. Some of the buildings was already burning. It was only evening and the attack already started sooner than she thought. She went back inside and put on her kunais and other tools as fast as she can. She can see that every shinobi of the village is fighting.<p>

Sakura fought her way beside Hinata who was expertly fighting a Sound Ninja. Sakura had her grip at her kunai and slashed it at a snake who's fangs are ready to bite her friend. The head of the snake fell and turned into ash. It left a violet liquid. Poison. It seems like Orochimaru not only have ninjas as his warriors but he also summoned snake to poison some of the best shinobis of Konoha.

Sakura fought with all her might and saw Orochimaru face to face with Tsunade and Jiraiya. It seems like Orochimaru is slowly loosing and before she knew it, Orochimaru aborted the attack and left. He never thought that Konoha would have been prepared for an attack.

Sakura saw a Sound ninja running away with a scroll in his firm grip. She followed the shinobi into the forest and lost track of him only to be pinned down and slashed by the ninja in the arm. Sakura stood up as her arm started to bleed. She healed them. She winced as she realized that she doesn't have enough chakra to fight if she was to be poison by this robber snake ninja. She tried her best to dodge his attacks and to get the scroll and alas she succeded. She killed the ninja but was poisoned. At least the ninja died and she can heal herself until her chakra depletes since the attack was over or so she thought.

She stood up after removing the poison from her system and retrieved the scroll only to be stopped by a raven-haired man standing in front of her.

"Sasuke!" She gasped and her eyes showed panic because she only had a small amount of chakra left and Sasuke is way too strong for her to fight. She almost gave up but rage came in her eyes as she recall the screams of the innocents during the attack.

"Sakura..."

"How dare you!" Sakura motioned her hand to puch him but was stopped by his hand.

"Why Sasuke? Why? Let go of me! Let go!" She squirmed from his grip and she was released.

"You don't understand Sakura."

"What do you mean I don't understand? You left me crying last night . You turned my feelings down the second time. But I forgive you for that but for attacking Konoha? Many innocent people who couldn't fight died Sasuke! You attacked your own village and you're telling me I don't understand? Why I should have-"

She stopped when she was shoved down by the raven-haired boy so fast that she didn't see him throw a kunai at a ninja hiding behind the trees. The hiding shinobi fell from the tree but before he died, he threw a kunai which was targeted for Sakura but Sasuke shielded himself and he was now bleeding and was now panting because of the poison which was slowly spreading in his body.

"Oh my gosh Sasuke! Let me heal you!" She sat down and lay his head on her lap.

"No, you don't have enough chakra. I can manage to live."

"But Sasuke" She was cut off by a finger on her lips.

"You're still annoying...I just need some rest..." His voice lowered as he close his eyes.

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><p>Sasuke opened his eyes only to see green hands glowing in front of him.<p>

"Sakura...stop."

"No, I have enough chakra now. Let me heal you. Thank you for saving me Sasuke."

"Hn" Sasuke stood up after she healed him. Sakura stood up as well.

"Sasuke, why did you save me?"

"Sasuke?"

"Sakura!"

"Sakura-chan!" The two heard shouts behind the trees.

"We must go Sasuke. They're looking for us."

"They're only looking for you Sakura. I must go back to Orochimaru."

"But, when will-? Is there a possiblity you will come back?"

"Orochimaru has many plans and he will not stop until he succeed. We may not know when will we meet again and I don't if I will come back. I must first avenge my clan."

"But Sasuke. I'm here to help you. We're all here."

"Sakura!" the shouts became louder

"You must go and I must go too" Sasuke gave her the scroll. He turned his back on her as he started to leave.

"Sasuke, I-" She stop mid-sentence

"Sakura..."

"Yes Sasuke?"

"Thanks...for everything..." Her eyes widened and was expecting Sasuke to hit her just like the last time but he didn't.

"Sasuke..."

"...and..." he continued. He went behind her back in a flash.

"I can't breathe" He whispered in her ear and with that he left.

She stared at the spot where he was standing a while ago with a puzzled look. What does he mean he can't breathe but then as the thought sprang from her head, a smile manage to creep down her face and didn't cry for she now knows what he means.

_'I love you too Sasuke...-kun...'_

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><p><strong>AN: Tada! Finish!...I hope you like it...Please leave some reviews...Thank you! 0:)**


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